Player Updates

Kiermaier (thumb) will be with the Rays for part of their 10-day road trip and is already shagging flyballs during batting practice, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The talented outfielder is still scheduled to be out until July recovering from right thumb surgery, but he's due to have his cast removed next Friday. At that point, he's scheduled to begin strengthening exercises and eventually move into baseball drills. Kiermaier is projected to return shortly after the All-Star break, but he would consider an earlier return "a huge bonus."

Kiermaier was recently transferred to the 60-day disabled list earlier this week after suffering a torn ligament in his right thumb during Sunday's game against Philadelphia. His initial timetable of 8-to-12 weeks will likely leave him sidelined until mid-June.

The move will have little effect on Kiermaier's return date, as he's already expected to miss a minimum of eight weeks with a torn ligament in his thumb. He was removed from the 40-man roster in order to clear a spot for Brandon Snyder, who was called up to replace the injured Matt Duffy (hamstring).

Kiermaier was diagnosed with a torn ligament in his right thumb and will undergo surgery, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. He was placed on the 10-day disabled list Monday and is expected to miss 8-12 weeks.

This is a brutal blow for Kiermaier, who is set to miss extended time for a third consecutive season due to injury -- he missed 61 games with a fractured hip in 2017 and 48 games in 2016 due to a broken wrist. The 27-year-old suffered the injury while sliding headfirst into second base during Sunday's game against the Phillies, and subsequent tests revealed ligament damage that will require him to go under the knife. The Rays haven't announced a possible timetable for his return at this point, but early indications are that he'll be sidelined for at least seven weeks. For comparison, Mike Trout missed around six weeks last season after sustaining a similar injury to his non-throwing hand. Seeing as Kiermaier sustained the injury to his throwing hand, a longer absence should be expected. Expect a more concrete timetable to emerge in the coming days. In the meantime, look for Johnny Field and Rob Refsnyder to see more playing time while Kiermaier is sidelined.

Kiermaier (finger) will receive an MRI on Monday, Bill Chastain of MLB.com reports.

Although a more definitive time frame for Kiermaier's return should become available after Monday's examination, the center fielder could be facing an extended absence. The 27-year-old indicated he expects he'll be out for awhile after exiting Sunday's game with what was diagnosed as a sprained right thumb. Should he land on the disabled list, Johnny Field and Rob Refsnyder could be in line to see more time in the Rays' outfield.